The Truth Behind Beer Goggles

If you haven't experienced them yourself, then you've certainly seen their effects dramatized on TV or in a movie: beer goggles, the phenomena of a lowering of standards in a romantic partner while drunk. If you thought the only reason that ever happened was alcohol's ability to lower inhibitions and impair judgment, think again. A recent study has found that might be only part of the equation. The
other half? Our perception of facial symmetry.

The study, which was published in the journal Alcohol(yes, it's real and academic), was conducted by scientists from Rochampton University in England. The study questioned why heavy alcohol consumption increased levels of attraction in people. The scientists theorized that this could be due to impaired perception of bilateral asymmetry in faces. Whether or not we know it, we desire facial symmetry in romantic partners; it is seen as an indicator of good genes and health. In order to test their hypothesis, scientists asked both intoxicated and sober students which photo in a pair was more attractive and which was more
symmetrical. They were shown twenty pairs.

As they expected, the scientists found that the inebriated students were unable to detect symmetry as well as the sober students. The drunk young Brits did not consistently prefer the symmetrical faces to the asymmetrical faces, unlike the sober ones. The unexpected finding was that men made fewer mistakes than women when determining facial symmetry - even when under the influence of alcohol. Lewis Halsey, one of the study's conductors, told Discovery News that this could be because men were more visually oriented than women and because "men tend to ogle more than women do." Big scientific reveal there.

So the next time you find yourself eying that blond across the bar ask yourself, "symmetrical or asymmetrical?" before you send over a drink.

Posted by Justine Sterling

Justine Sterling never had a chance. The first thing in her mouth after she was born was not her mother's milk but her father's finger after having been dipped in sparkling wine. Growing up in Northern California she foraged for wild lettuce and frequently presented her parents with concoctions she called "spritzers." Though she tried to deny it while in college, food and wine kept sneaking into her writing. It wasn't long before she gave in and moved to one of the world's foremost culinary Meccas. Now based in Brooklyn, New York, she seeks out culinary oddities (live octopus has been a favorite) and is always on the lookout for that perfect martini. Since moving to New York and gaining her master's in journalism from New York University, Justine has written for publications such as Meatpaper, Time Out New York, and The New York Post. In her spare time she schemes up plans to ferment her own beer and enjoys quick pickling. Read More

Curious about the latest fast-food freebie? Looking for the dish on the newest cooking-show star? Delish's Food in the News blog provides daily reports on all things food. From wacky trends to the media frenzy surrounding product recalls, our bloggers will satiate your appetite for all that's newsworthy in food.
Read More